


Shadows of Time

by Philoslothical1095



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Gen, Interloper War (Legend of Zelda), Kingdom of Hyrule, Termina (Legend of Zelda)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 09:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20171719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philoslothical1095/pseuds/Philoslothical1095
Summary: This work in progress is a long term project I am hoping to collect feed back on as I work through it. It covers the story of Link after the events of Majora's Mask until his death and resurrection as Hero's Shade.  I have always felt the Shade needed a bit of fleshing out. Most interesting I think are his regrets given the events of Majora's Mask and the centrality of healing regrets in that game.





	1. Prologue

**Prologue** :    
  


Having celebrated the Carnival of Time with the people of Termina, Link decided it was time to move on once again and return to his own lands. However, prior to departing, he wanted to return the only masks he had left to what felt like their rightful owners. To the Deku butler the mask of his son, to the Goron Darmani’s mask, and Mikau’s mask. The only remaining item now was the Fierce Deity, a power Link was wary of at best since the demon inside had utterly crushed Majora, a powerful demon in her own right. Though he had intended to present it to the Mask Salesman after receiving Majora’s Mask, the strange man had quickly departed providing no opportunity to bring it up. While this left Link a little confused, and disappointed the Deity’s mask was the only one to never be appraised by the Salesman Link returned to Hyrule, the Fierce Deity in his pack for safe keeping. 

_ The Arbiter’s Grounds _

**Scene of Ganondorf’s botched execution and subsequent banishment to the Twilight realm**


	2. The Journey Home

Having left Termina and accepted the loss of his friend Navi, Link decided it was probably time to return Epona to Lon Lon Ranch especially since he was fairly certain their arrival was long overdue after the excursion courtesy of the Skull Kid. Malon would be upset, albeit understanding of this predicament he knew, but still he always did regret not being able to keep his word. 

Arriving at the ranch around twilight Link paused for a moment wondering just how long he had been gone and how Malon would react to what in either case,was a late return. 

“Where have you been!?” Malon was running over to Link and Epona. “Is she hurt? You didn’t push her too hard did you? I better not find out you were jumping the high fences again when this happened Link!”

“Ah” Link took one bewildered step back. Unlike her father Malon had quite the temper, likely thanks to her mother’s Gerudo blood, but whatever the reason Link knew not to mess with her in such a state.   
“What in tarnation!” a voice came from the front door of the house. It was Talon, the friendly, albehim lazy, ranch owner. Talon was a very round man with large hands and well defined hairy arms, his large belly and big mustache now bouncing rather agitatedly as he marched up to the children and horse.

“Well back better late than never, I suppose” he said looking from Epona to Link. “We was expecting you to have arrived a few days ago now young man. What took you so long?” Perhaps it was the look on Link’s face as he screwed it up trying to pick a point to begin but Talon continued, “Nevermind. You’re both back, but I’ll be needing your help around the ranch a few days to make up for not having Epona around.”

The boy nodded, he could not deny his lateness and needed to own up to it. 

“Well that is settled then” Talon said. “Now you kids go wash up and prepare dinner, I will tend to the horse and be in when you’re ready.” He walked off, leaving Malon and Link alone again. 

Still looking irritated Malon set off toward the house, Link not wanting to upset her further followed at a bit of a distance and inside the house busied himself with cleaning and preparing the table for dinner, only daring to handle food prep if Malon asked for assistance; which she did not. This strategy seemed to work because by the end of the night Malon seemed to be in a much better mood than earlier; she was never one to hold a grudge, at least not against Link. 

Over the course of the next few days Link worked to pay off his debt to Talon, working the horses in the field, carrying milk and supplies to and from the barnes. He was only happy to perform this service and really enjoyed being kept busy with what he felt to be a very pleasurable job. At the end of the third day Talon approached him thanking Link for all his hard work and declaring the debt covered. Unsure of what to say, Link smiled at Talon though he continued repairing the saddle he had been working with. He did not really want to leave and perhaps Talon sensed this because he continued, “You know, I would be mighty happy to have an extra set of hands now that Ingo’s set out on his own, and you really have been a huge help to Malon and me these past few days. How would you like to stay on?” He asked, adding, “Of course we would put you up in a room and all that. I’d offer to let you use Epona s’more tho…” he put his hand behind his head and chuckled, “that’ll really be up to Malon more than me” Without needing to think about it much Link smiled and nodded in agreement outstretching his hand to Talon who shook it and exclaimed, “Excellent! I’ll go give Malon the great news!” With that he turned and left the barn. Semi-returning to his work Link’s mind began to wander, the ranch more than any place he had lived felt like home. In the forest he had always been something of an outcast, thanks in large part to Mido. He would miss Saria, but of course she had always known he would be leaving, he was after-all so different. Castle Town was too busy and cramped. Besides, no one there would have adopted this orphaned boy in green forest clothing. No, the ranch was a nice in between place for him, this life of the past few days just felt right. 

Looking down at his work again Link realized he had stitched his tunic into the side of the saddle. Letting out a bemused groan he started to unstitch himself and complete the work properly finishing up just in time for supper. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2\. Here there would be some dialogue between Link and Malon (Malon’s dialogue might mirror Illia’s from TP to an extent a little upset Link had Epona for so long but ultimately understanding of his reasons) before Talon appears where he enters the conversation and Link asks if he might stay on as a ranch hand until such a time as he can make his own way  
3\. A number of fan theories have suggested that Malon's unnamed mother was possibly a Gerudo. They point to differences in her personality to Talon, she is a person of action, loves the horses, etc. Physically the biggest factor in favor of this theory is her red hair, a trait which in the OoT world seems to be common only among the Gerudo. Furthermore while wearing the Gerudo mask Talon says you look oddly like his wife, but he says the same as a joke while you wear the Goron mask. The joke aside, the same is not said of the Zora mask so I think it seems likely Talon was not joking around about the Gerudo connection. It is well established they come to town looking for boyfriends.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. I think I am going to try and keep Link silent in this. "Dialogue" will consist of a narrative explanation for Link and spoken words for Malon, Talon, and so on. Just to be a bit consistent with the games in which Link does not really talk.


End file.
